The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-06-30
The Bride of Arne Sandstrom.
BY NJ. H. cATHKRwooD,

"Big Swede wedding over there this
evening"" said one American to an
other by his side. "Peter Lund's
daughter"
is she marrying a swede7" inquired
the second American.
Eyes; fellow by the name Of Arne
Sandstrom."
II should think old Peter, we'll off
as he is. would nave stood up for an
American son-in-law-you or me, for
instance" observed the second youth,
with a laugh.
1.-The girls pretty as a pink, and
has had every advantage. It ia a
pity TO see her thrown away; but old
Peter has lot of younger ones CON-
ing on"
"That makes it less an object. 1
thought she was his only. The Swedes
are clannish-ain't they?"
"Peter Lund's is headquarters for
them, too. Here's one now, hunting
up the wedding. I'll bet she's just ar
rived from the old country"
So near the truth was this surmise
that Elsa had been off the train only
twenty minutes, and in that time had
repeated the name of Arne Sandstrom
'nterrogatively to every person she
met. She was dased by long riding
and partial fasting, and the dumb
terror OF finding no one to receive her
at the end of her great journey. The
letter created with much brain work
to announce her coming ought to have
been in his hands weeks ago. The in
nocent and iriendless soul did not
know she had omitted all dates and
exactness in her general care for SPELL
ing and inky loops. So. stepping of
the train into the American small town
at dusk, she saw stretches of summer
prairie to the westward, perky archl.
lecture, crossing railroad tracks, hur.
rying> citizens and lazy loungers-even
the new electric light on it's spider.
work iron tower beginning to make a
CHASTITY powerful star far above her
head. She saw baggage and piles of
express matter, hotel runners and
other women starting toward their as
sured homes tucked laughing and
chatting under their husbands arms:
but she saw not one lace or one kind
hand ready to bid her welcome, who
had ventured thousands of miles alone
across ocean, across continent-to
marry her bethrothed lover, Arne
Sandstrom.
Hearing his name spoken, shestood
still upon tho sidewalk, shrinking and
timid, but directly in front OF the
young men, and inquired, using hands
and eyes as we'll as anxious infection
OF voice, "Arne Sandstrom?"
"She wants to know where he is"
explained one American to the other.
Fright over there; that big house," he
returned, talking also with gestures,
"where you see it lighted up. She
doesn't understand. Arne Sandstrom
over there. Getting married! Yes, yes.
Arne Sandstrom. Here, Billy, you
trot out a little Swede gibberish, can't
you? You've been among them more
than l have"
"Arne Sandstrom derover," ex-
claimed the other, pointing to Peter
Lund's house, with a fine assumption
of handling the language we'll. "Arne
Sandstrom jifta tonight, you know"
'Yifta!" said Elsa, shrinking down
in stature.
"She's got hold OF it. That's all
right: You'll be in time for the we'd
ding"
"She didn't understand; and she
thought We were making fun of her."
said one Of the lads as they sauntered
ON.
"She did understand, and there
she goes straight across the street.
Brush up in thelanguages, young man,
and make yourself as useful to the
public as am"
When Elsa had entered tho Lund
premises, however, she did not ling
the bell, but wavered around the house,
looking up at the lighted windows,
and shifting her little bundle from ono
arm to the other. She had other bag
gage at the station, but it seemed no
lonter worth while. There was q west
ern 'veranda, on the lowest step OF
which she sat down in a quiet stupor
to collect herself for some determined
movement.
Anguish and disappointment must
be the natural lot in this world, only
sha had not lived enough years to find
it out before. Though summer dark
ness had come, the after glow was
still 80 bright in the west that it halt
quarreled with the abundant lamp
light. Elsa could hear the front gate,
the crunch OF coming footsteps and
frequent peals OF the door bell, as she
sat drawn together, and the eternal
minutes Travelled on.
Peter Lund's house WAS full of joy-
ful stir. China and silver tinkled in
the open dining room, where several
women were putting last touches to
the tables. Girls flew up and down
the back stairway, calling to one. an
other in Swedish.
"One thing is sure, Yennie Yonsen,"
called a voice in the home tongue,
"there will not beenough married wom-
en- to take the bride from us girls in
the wedding dance; so now what will
A1ne Sandstrom do?"
Three of them conspired together bv
the western dining-room do6f. bobbing
their faxen heads, all laughing and
talking at once in their light happiness,
far above the unseen stranger on the
step.
"Who told me Arne Sandstrom left
q betrothed girl in Svadia?" said one,
lowering her voice to grave colloquy.
"Oh, we'll, she married herself, OF
course" replied another; land any
man who could get Lena Lund would
take her."
"Lena's 50 pretty"
"Lenass RICH"
"Lenttan sing and play better than
Aome Amerikanns."
LENA has ten new dresses. Arne
will not have to put his hand in his
pocket for many a day"
"she is not spoiled Herewith. al
"Ah, my mother said if this wedding
was going to be in Svadia this St.
Johns Eve, what night we would
make of it!''
They ran away, while Elsa repeated
to herself that this was the Eve St.
John-night of arbors and rejoicing at
home, night when the sun scarcely went
down, and everybody toasted and Wis
tied under green.leaf tents. OF what